Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) converted pole position into Tissot Sprint victory number four of 2023 as the Italian fended off an early Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) challenge at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) picked up P3 but the Spaniard was heavily involved in the drama that unfolded right from the get-go.
Leading contenders crash at Turn 1
Bagnaia got away well from pole well with Binder – as always – launching like a rocket ship from the outside of the front row. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) got a shocking start from P2 and dropped like a stone as Turn 1 played host to high drama.
Martin was on the inside line and in hot as contact was made with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), which started a domino effect. Viñales was involved as he was sandwiched between Quartararo and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), as the latter went down along with Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team), with Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) also caught up in the incident. Martin was later given a Long Lap penalty for Sunday's race after being found to have been riding irresponsibly.
Bagnaia untouchable on Saturday
Back at the front, Bagnaia led from Binder. By the start of Lap 5 the duo were over a second up the road from Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), with Martin running in P5. On Lap 6, Miller went from P3 to P5 as Marini and Martin pounced, as more drama involving Martin then unravelled - this time at Turn 2A. Martin was up the inside of Marini but contact was made as the duo tipped it into the apex, with the latter crashing out unhurt.
Meanwhile, Bagnaia’s lead was up to a second over Binder, who in turn had three seconds in hand to Martin. With six laps left, Pecco was 1.3s ahead of the leading KTM, and the gap kept on climbing. Binder was a safe second, the #33 was 2.7s up the road from Martin, with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) a lonely P4 as we got confirmation that no further action would be taken regarding the Martin-Marini clash.
Bagnaia, unsurprisingly, made no mistake to bring his Ducati home for Austrian GP Tissot Sprint victory to extend his title lead, with Binder claiming P2 in KTM’s backyard. Martin took the bronze medal from P12 on the grid. A spirited - albeit slightly controversial - comeback ride.
Alex Marquez crossed the line in P4 as Miller held onto P5 to finish ahead of GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3’s Pol Espargaro, whose P6 is highly commendable as the Spaniard competes in just his second Tissot Sprint of the season. Aleix Espargaro finished P7, 0.144s behind his younger brother, as Viñales produced a great fight back to take P8. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) held off Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) for the final Saturday afternoon point.
Drama aplenty then in the Austrian GP Tissot Sprint, but the big points are on offer on Sunday. Tune into the MotoGP™ race at 14:00 local time (GMT+2)!
Top 10:
| 1 | Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) | |
| 2 | Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) | + 2.056 |
| 3 | Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) | + 5.045 |
| 4 | Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) | + 8.252 |
| 5 | Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) | + 11.365 |
| 6 | Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) | + 11.816 |
| 7 | Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) | + 11.960 |
| 8 | Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) | + 11.984 |
| 9 | Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) | + 13.634 |
| 10 | Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) | + 14.435 |